Airplanes employ passenger service units (PSUs) in the cabin that are each associated with at least one passenger seat. The PSUs are typically installed as panels above their associated seat(s). The PSUs are used to provide services to the passengers sitting in their associated seats. Services that the PSUs may provide include, but are not limited to, reading light function, an attendant calling function, ventilation, oxygen, in-flight entertainment, notification signage, and internet connectivity.
One type of PSU currently employed by some airplanes is called a simplified passenger service unit (SPSU). The SPSU design is a simplified design that allows for each SPSU panel to be directly and easily connected into a power rail, which runs above the panels, for power. The SPSUs communicate their functions to a computer system via infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), and/or electrical cable (e.g., RS-485).
Currently, SPSU architecture does not allow for easy access to the communication data buses (e.g., the IR or RS-485 buses) without removal of the SPSU panels themselves. With the IR bus configuration, removal of the SPSU panels can interrupt the panel communication, introduce obstructions or reflections into the IR path, and generate additional confusion during airplane installation and system testing. As such, there is a need for a test design that allows for the SPSU panels to be tested without requiring removal of the SPSU panels.